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Come/Here: Teach your dog to come when called...

If you forced me to choose just one skill that every dog should know, a strong recall would absolutely be my choice. "Recall" means that your dog immediately stops what he is doing and returns to your side at your command, allowing you to keep him safe... Read full article

How to potty train your puppy or adult dog...

One of the most common questions I hear from dog owners is: How can I stop my dog from going potty in the house?!? Usually, an anguished description of smelly carpets, ruined furniture, and desperately complex strategies to stop the unwanted behavior follows. Like most other difficult problems in life, there is no no one-size-fits-all solution to fixing potty problems. But, based on my experience, most dogs respond quickly to one or more of the following approaches... Read full article

Let's talk about electronic dog fences ...

This article covers both do-it-yourself and pro-installed electronic pet fences. After reading this article, you will understand: How an electronic pet fence works, what problems an electronic pet fence can actually solve, what to look for when buying a pet fence, whether you are capable of installing a pet fence yourself, and what questions to ask when purchasing a pet fence from a pro-installation company like Invisible Fence®. For what is probably the most comprehensive discussion of electronic pet fences on the Web, make sure to visit.. Read full article

Running away: How to stop your dog in his tracks...

Running away is one of the most frightening and dangerous decisions your dog can make. Even if your dog wears tags or is microchipped to help find his way home, he still runs the risk of being hit by a car, attacked by another animal, or "adopted" by someone who may or may not provide the same level of care you do. So, if you've got a dog who likes to run away, it's time to put an immediate stop to the behavior...Read full article

Bark Collar: Simple solution or waste of money?

As Oscar Hammerstein told us, "Fish got to swim, birds got to fly." If he knew much about dogs, he probably would have followed with, "Dogs got to bark," because OH! how most dogs love to bark.

If you're reading this article, you're probably considering buying a bark collar, which means you likely have a dog that barks excessively — to the point that he's driving you, your neighbors, and even himself a little crazy. So, I'll go ahead and answer what I'd wager is the first question on your mind... Do bark collars really work? The answer is... Read full article

How to crate train your dog...

Crate training is one of the most valuable skills you can teach your dog. Once your dog is comfortable in his crate, you can use it to prevent and solve a variety of behavior problems, including going potty indoors, separation anxiety, food aggression, destructive behavior, and more. It's easiest to crate train a young dog, but I've successfully crate trained dogs of all ages — even seniors. In this article, I describe how to train your dog to accept (and even enjoy!) his crate, even if he currently hates it. I also tell you how to make sure you choose the right crate for your dog before you click "Buy Now." Read full article

How to choose a training collar for your dog...

Lots of different dog training collars are available both online and at your local pet store. In fact, the selection is so vast as to quickly overwhelm the average dog owner. Unfortunately, this means many people end up choosing the wrong type of training collar for their dog... Read full article

How to stop your dog's out-of-control barking...

...Sometimes barking is really useful — like when your dog barks to let you know that a stranger is trying to scale your back fence. But, if your dog's barking is out of control — continuing for minutes (or hours) on end until he wears himself out — then you've got a problem. Because, even if your dog's barking doesn't bother you, it likely bothers your neighbors.... Read full article

How you can use a pet door to solve common dog problems...

For some reason, when folks are looking to solve their dog problems, they rarely think about a pet door. That's a shame, because pet doors are a cheap and easy way to solve a variety of dog problems, including potty accidents. Believe it or not, most dogs don't want to potty in the house. When a mature dog (over a year old) has an indoor soiling problem, it's usually because he hasn't learned an effective way to communicate that he needs to go outside. A pet door solves this problem by giving your dog immediate access to the outdoors... Read full article

About the Trainer

Teaching a German Shepherdhow to "Sit"

Welcome to FixDogProblems.com! On this site, as in "real" life, I provide high-quality training advice to owners who are struggling with dog behavior problems. My purpose is to share the techniques and strategies that I use to help owners create better relationships with their dogs; because, after all, that's what dog training is really about.

Unlike many other trainers, you'll notice that while I do have a philosophy about dog training, it doesn't fall into one of the two standard dog training camps: either all-positive (which means using only rewards and no corrections to shape behavior) or correction based (which often means freely using punishment while forgetting the importance of rewards).

So, what is my dog-training philosophy, then? Well, it's a philosophy of pragmatism — of evaluating an individual dog within the context of his own unique situation to find a solution that works best for both him and his owner. That's why you'll notice that none of my articles offer a one-size-fits-all solution, but instead present a variety of ways to solve common dog problems.

In the end, I hope that after reading my articles you come away with the confidence that — with a little time and patience — you can solve your dog's behavior problems!